-Agency seeks to capitalize on Jamaica-UK Co-Production Treaty
Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI/JAMPRO) is leading a team drawn from the local and television film industry to promote the recently signed film co-production treaty with the United Kingdom at the highly-acclaimed Broadcast Live showcase in London between June 19 to 21.
Film Commissioner Del Crooks heads the delegation to the premier business conference and exhibition for professionals working in all areas of video content creation, management and delivery. Making the trip also will be select and creative executives from Television Jamaica, CPTC, Ark Productions, Gee Jam, ‘Flim’ Show and Firefly Productions. “The exhibition will focus on promoting Jamaica as a destination for location filming, targeting decision makers aimed at increasing customer base and to help to increase the awareness about Jamaica and its other capabilities as a location”, says Mrs. Crooks.
A recent BBC news report hailed Jamaica as a “music video hub” that produces upwards of two dozen videos a week, and that “keeps a lot of trained filmmaking talent employed in a country where feature film-making is still in its infancy”.
The report praised the music video industry as a magnet to international artistes from all over the world.
The delegation will be riding this favourable publicity when they engage prospects at the trade show. In fact, the Broadcast Live organization has arranged for Jamaica to host a press conference with the UK media on June 20 to promote the investment opportunities in the creative industries in Jamaica, and to highlight the signing of the co-production treaty which was officially signed in April in Kingston between Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and Richard Cayborn, the British Minister of Sports.
The line up of speakers at the press conference will be the UK’s Minister of Film, Shaun Woodward; Jamaica’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, Sharon Saunders.
Former British Minister Clare Wise, who now heads the UK Film Council and Jamaica’s Film Commissioner, Del Crooks will give the overview of the Jamaica-Film Co-Production Treaty. Jamaican media houses in the UK will also be in attendance at the news conference.
The Jamaican film industry earned an estimated $1.2 billion Jamaican dollars (approximately US$14 million) during the last financial year, providing employment for over 3,400 people. “In fact, this result represents a 25 per cent increase over the 2005 to 2006 corresponding period”, says the Film Commissioner.
However, despite these dramatic increases and results, Mrs. Crooks maintains that Jamaica is a well sought after location, and that the island’s film industry is poised for exponential growth and development.
Broadcast Live is an event where key broadcasting industry professionals, from those who manage content to those who deliver. The show last year had a record 8,000 participants – channel distributors to chief engineers.
The show is an exhibition, conference and seminar all in one which will features panel discussions. Among the topics to be discussed are, maximizing return on investment on the new broadcast technology and the world of multi media content creation, management and delivery.
The delegation is scheduled to return on Friday, June 22.
Contact:
Carole Beckford
[email protected]
077 677 34617 (in London)
Mark Thomas
[email protected]
(876) 946-2037 (in Kingston)
